New USMNT WC Kits & Sept. Friendlies

https://www.sbnation.com/platform/a...up-kits-2022-reaction-nike-bad-no-good-tweets

The white kits do look like warmups. The semi-camo blues aren’t horrendous, but no chance I’ll fork out $$ for it. It’s going to take supporters not to buy for someone at Nike to pull the head out and design something interesting.

To the pitch, the call ups are interesting. Biggest omission is Pefok, but GB did acknowledge that he’s playing great at Union Berlin and the real reason that he brought in Pepi (my interpretation) was to let the young man know he’s still supported and to keep him in the fold. Don’t have a problem with it, Pepi got loaned out to the Eredivise and had an assist his first game. The kid is at a crossroads, he needs tutelage, and he needs the National team for his psyche if it only means for these friendlies. I would have a major problem if Pefok isn’t on the WC roster if he keeps playing like he has.

Roster for Japan & Saudi Arabia:
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...ld-cup-matches-against-japan-and-saudi-arabia

 

I think the collar accent on the home jersey looks like the team wore their new white shirts to a fancy restaurant and decided to stuff the blue napkin into their collar so they wouldn't get the shirt dirty. I also dislike the centralized crest. If you want the crest front and center, make it bigger - this just looks like one of those commemorative temporary logos. The away jersey looks like something that I'd wear to a music festival, not something that should represent national pride.

What I'm getting tired of is Berhalter's ever changing reasons for player inclusion or exclusion. One camp he'll exclaim that current form is the most important thing and then the next he'll leave off in form players and claim that he needs to see others more closely (or something). I'm not sure that the last two friendlies before the World Cup is the best time to coddle a young player that's been entrenched in an 18-month funk. Something I find interesting about this camp is that there is no cap on the number of players that can be called in... so this may be more of a message to Pefok than it is to Pepi. (I personally think that Berhalter is often petty and fickle and for some reason Pefok is currently on his shitlist.) Barring injury, I feel that (whether I like it or not) Ferreira will be starting up top on Nov 21.

I just read that Musah pulled out with a groin injury - Johnny Cardoso to replace. This should give us an opportunity to see Aaronson play centrally or perhaps give de la Torre a chance to further prove his worth. I'm not excited about Robinson missing out, but am curious to see what Scally and Vines can do with this opportunity.

 

This was the initial roster



Replacements due to injury

Cardoso for Musah as mentioned above
McKenzie for CCV
Erik Palmer-Brown for Richards

 

It’s an early one manana (5 am left coast time). Really bummed Jedi, Richards, & Carter-Vickers missing out. @HatterDon you are CCV’s cornerman, and I surprisingly just read he and Walker Zimmerman have never started a game together, so while I think he’ll make the team, hard to imagine a CB tandem unfamiliar with each other starting in Qatar.

Looks like it’s Turner’s job to lose. Arsenal does have 6 upcoming League Cup/Europa matches that he’ll likely get the start.

Could you imagine a veteran player in the best form of his life, Captain of a Top 6 team in the Prem, needing about 4 more injuries to even get a sniff?? Tim Ream where arts thou?

 

Tim Ream played his way onto the team, but I don't think the coaching staff ever really considered him. It's a shame. He should be here.

 

Sad showing against Japan today. Sloppy defensively. It's making me question my optimism on getting out of the group.

 

2 words immediately come to mind: Hot Garabge.

@stlouisbrad You beat me to it, only one team looked capable of getting out of its group and it sure as Hell wasn’t the US.

• Other then 45 minutes in Honduras, we are completely listless, clueless, and just plain less away from US soil under GB
• One team looked organized, sharp, and 100% committed to their style of play. The other team was us.
• For the love of Gawd if you aren’t capable of passing it out of the back, stop %#€¥ing trying!!!! Japan had to be laughing on how easy it was able to turn the backline over and create immediate chances.
•Aaron Long, Reggie Cannon are NOT starters on a good side. Back to Tim Ream, whom’s strength is his passing, compared to a guy like Mark Mackenzie, no offense to him on a personal level, but is a freaking disaster waiting to happen and you can’t help but wonder about the competency of the coach.

Positives;
• Turner kept it from being 5 or 6-nil.
• We had enough injuries (Pulisic, Musah, Jedi, CCV, Richards) that internally we can say we didn’t put out our best squad.

Edit: 2 numbers (the first one seems impossible):
28 & 0… 28 was the number of turnovers we had in our own final third we had in the first 30 minutes. 0 was the number of shots on goal. Somebody commented ‘Or the same numbers of shots Pefok had on target from his couch’

 

11 am left coast on FS1, Reggie Cannon is out w/an injury, so looking for Scalley to make a case for a spot, maybe start Dest on left, Scalley on right or vice versa. Pepi must not only play, but play great, then go back to Holland and crush it to be worthy of GB thinking he’s ahead of Wright & Pefok.

Expecting a very boring match (they played
Ecuador to a 0-0), but since it’s the last game before Qatar it is must see.

 

Re: both topics of the title: um, no. To be more precise: HAY-ULL NO.
The kits are hideous. The friendlies are meaningless without the injured absentees. And REAM!!! has played his way onto the team. Doesn't Berhalter still have time to name him? If memory serves, the rosters aren't due until November 13th, or thereabouts? Whether or not he's got the cajones to do it, well, I guess we'll just see what we'll see. Bottom line: as of right now, it's reasonable to bet we won't get past the knockout stage. But...a lot of things can change between now and November 21st at 2 p.m. However... such changes ain't guaranteed to be good.

 

The product on the field Friday was just as ugly as the products on the players.

I really gotta stop trying to figure out Berhalter’s thinking.

 

SCHWINGGGG!!!

 

Hot Garbage Part Deux. Was it better then the dross the other day? Yes…Kinda.

• Pefok better be on the plane, Pepi barely made
a blip on the radar. Ferriera, who has only shown he can score in MLS and against Grenada is GB’s favorite. Sargent looks on the bubble, but based on Norwich form looks like he is in. If he takes Pepi, not Pefok then Berhalter is a bald face liar when he talks about club form.
• Pulisic needs to get his head on straight. Sorry Kid, doesn’t matter if you want to get out of Chelsea. Tell your Dad to shut up on Twitter, and make an impact in the minutes you get. He desperately needs some good outings before Qatar.
• Turner is the #1, not great with the ball at his feet, but he’s a reliable shot stopper.
• CCV & Richards better get healthy. GB refuses to give a captain in his best ever form a shot, but thinks Aaron Long & Mark McKensie (he attempted to give the Saudis the game w/comically bad giveaways) are the answer.

 

Based on your review @SoCalJoe I'm very glad I missed the match

 

If the highlights were an accurate reflection of the tenor of the match, US Soccer will save some big coin on food and lodging at the conclusion of the KO stage in Qatar. Oh well, at least we’re going this time.

 

Not much to add other than there was nothing inspiring about the USMNT during these final two pre-cup matches.

 

I recorded the match and watched it after work. I kind of wish I hadn’t.

And Berhalter concludes the camp and matches stating that they all learned something but doesn’t give any specific examples. I never understand why the US players don’t often appear to be on the same page when many other countries do it on the regular.

My confidence in the team and their prospects in Qatar took a huge beating over the last eight days or so. I need a distraction.

Come on Fulham!

 

Forget getting out of the group, I don't see this team getting a point let alone winning a game in Qatar